Simply the Bible Blog

Genesis 41:42-57 “All Things New”

“Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, ‘God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief.’” Genesis 41:52 (NLT) Now that Joseph was prime minister in Egypt it was a whole new life. God caused him to forget his years of pain and sorrow. He was honored, married and fruitful in…
Genesis 41:17-41 “The LORD Exalts Joseph”

“Joseph responded, ‘Both of Pharaoh’s dreams mean the same thing. God is telling Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do.’” Genesis 41:25 (NLT) God revealed the future to Pharaoh in a dream. He was an idolatrous ruler, yet God wanted to use him to provide for his own people and for other nations.…
Genesis 41:1-16 “Pharaoh Calls for Joseph”

“Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh.” Genesis 41:14 (NLT) What is the longest you’ve ever had to wait for something you wanted? We are a culture that doesn’t like to wait for anything.…
Genesis 40 “The Butler, Baker and Joseph”

“When Joseph saw them the next morning, he noticed that they both looked upset. ‘Why do you look so worried today?’ he asked them.” Genesis 40:6–7 (NLT) Joseph had every reason to have a pity party. He had been sold as a slave by his brothers, separated from his family, falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife,…
Genesis 39 “Joseph in Potiphar’s House”

“She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible.” Genesis 39:10 (NLT) In so many ways, we see the parallel between Joseph and Jesus. As soon as Joseph became a slave in Potiphar’s house, he found favor…
Genesis 38 “Judah and Tamar”

“Judah recognized them and said, ‘She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.’” Genesis 38:26 (NIV) It’s been said that our sins always look worse when someone else wears them. This was certainly the case with Judah and Tamar. After two of his sons had married Tamar and…
Genesis 37:12-36 “Rejection, Betrayal & Deception”

“Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!” Genesis 37:20 (NLT) The plot thickens in poor Joseph’s life. As he obeys his father and makes the dangerous trek to visit his…
Genesis 37:1-11 “Joseph the Dreamer”

“But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.” Genesis 37:4 (NLT) Today we begin one of the greatest adventures in the Bible: the story of Joseph. The Holy Spirit dedicated ten chapters to this. Perhaps the reason is that…
Genesis 36 “The Edomites”

“Now this is the genealogy of Esau, who is Edom.” Genesis 36:1 (NKJV) Genealogies can be boring to read, but they give us the record or fingerprint of a people. We can see how people become who they are. So much depends upon their parentage and upbringing. Genesis 36 is the record of Esau’s descendants.…
Genesis 35:16-29 “Birth & Death, Joy & Sorrow”

“Rachel was about to die, but with her last breath she named the baby Ben-oni (which means ‘son of my sorrow’). The baby’s father, however, called him Benjamin (which means ‘son of my right hand’).” Genesis 35:18 (NLT) In Biblical times it was common to name one’s child according to the circumstances of his or…